What is Prout? Dada Maheshvarananda www.priven.org
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The world we want:
No war, hunger, or poverty Human rights and democracy Environmental protection Peace and justice on earth!
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Prout is the abbreviation for the Progressive Utilization Theory, a new socio-economic model based on: • • • •
economic self-reliance cooperatives environmental balance and universal spiritual values. 3
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar (1921-1990) • Indian philosopher • Author of more than 400 books • Composer
• Spiritual master • Political prisoner from 1971-1978.
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“Prout’s cooperative model… sharing the resources of the planet for the welfare of everyone, deserves our serious consideration.” – Dr. Noam Chomsky, MIT
“An important contribution to re-thinking the disastrous course of the current economic globalization.” – Hazel Henderson, economist
"Sarkar's theory is far superior to Adam Smith's or that of Marx… It is spiritually rather than materialistically inspired.“ – Johan Galtung, Founder UN Institute of Peace Studies
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Prout is not a rigid mold to be imposed on any society. It is a holistic set of dynamic principles that can be applied appropriately by the citizens and leaders to help their region or country prosper and achieve self-reliance in an ecological way.
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Complete Model 1. The Economics of Prout 2. The Social Message of Prout 3. The Ecological and Spiritual Message of Prout 4. Some Prout Projects in Venezuela 5. Prout's Message for Venezuela and for you
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Economic Inequality: Does it matter?
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THE END OF GLOBAL CAPITALISM? It is based on profit, selfishness and greed. The tragic result is that half of world population lives, suffers and dies in poverty.
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A Logical Solution • The world’s physical resources are limited. If individuals accumulate too much, there will not be enough for everyone. • Every country should decide maximum salaries, wealth and land ownership. • Maximum utilization and rational distribution of all the resources of the planet for the welfare of everyone.
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THE RIGHT TO LIVE! The first priority of Prout is to guarantee the five minimum necessities of life to all: • • • • •
food clothing housing education medical care 12
Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs Self-actualization
Esteem Sense of belonging, love Safety 1908-1970
Physiological needs 13
An honest job with fair wages is also a human right. The minimum wage must be high enough so that people can buy their necessities.
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Small Scale Private Enterprise • encourage creativity
• individuals, families and small partnerships • produce only non-essential goods and services
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Cooperatives • give local people control over their economic destiny • called “economic democracy” • workers own their enterprises • Industry, trade, agriculture, banking run by producer and consumer cooperatives • largest part of a Prout economy
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Cooperatives Cooperatives need: • Honest leadership • Good business plan • Strict accounting • Community support Government should provide: • More training • Accounting • Regular inspections 17
Strategic Key Industries • too large or complex for co-ops • managed as public utilities by immediate government • belong to society and should never be privatized
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La economía de Prout
Investigar Energía Alternativa
SOLAR
EOLICA
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Economic Democracy and Self-Reliance
A dynamic economy of the people, by the people, and for the people. Each region, state, and community self-reliant in food. Sustainable farming and agricultural cooperatives Full employment for local people No exploitation by outsiders or corporations.
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Lack of Ethics • American Psychiatric Association reports the most common factor among criminals is the tendency to lie. Lying is also done by some politicians, lawyers, corporation directors, accountants, advertisers…
Throughout history, ruling classes have created moral rules and laws to maintain power.
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Cardinal Human Values • honesty, courage, • mercy, humility, • self-restraint, compassion. • protect the weak,
• avoid harming others, • overcome selfishness.
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Ideal Leadership The world needs leaders with moral force, spiritual vision and courage to fight injustice and exploitation. Anyone can become an ideal leader by setting a personal example of honesty, selfdiscipline, sacrificing spirit and dedication to the welfare of humanity.
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Ideal Leaders in Venezuela P. R. Sarkar, founder of Prout, visited Venezuela in 1979. He said: “Venezuela needs good spiritual political leaders. If Venezuela can produce spiritual political leaders, it will be not only the leader of Latin America, but also the leader of the planet.” 24
El mensagen social de Prout
Comunidad: Mover juntos • Bayanihan en las Filipinas significa mover juntos una casa. • Cayapa, palabra venezolana, también muestra el espíritu de cooperación de la comunidad.
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Ecological and spiritual perspective of indigenous people Feel connected to Nature and all life. “The land doesn’t belong to me, I belong to the land!”
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Clarification: Dogma vs. Spirituality Fundamentalism is closeminded, Blind obedience, Instills fear. Divides people into believers and non-believers, Us versus them.
Mystical search for truth is open-minded, Questioning, Promotes love. Views all people as one human family, Universalism.
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Spiritual perspective of Prout
Human beings have a thirst for peace and happiness. External objects cannot satisfy this, because their pleasure is only temporary. Journey within to find true peace and happiness. We seek connectedness, meaning and purpose. Self-realization and service to humanity.
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Prout's ecological and spiritual message
Meditation In the struggle for world peace and justice, we should not neglect our own internal peace. Meditation is an ancient practice with many benefits: overcoming insomnia, depression and mental complexes; increasing memory, concentration, willpower, selfcontrol, self-esteem and tolerance; developing mental peace, wisdom, compassion and 29 unconditional love.
Prout's ecological and spiritual message
HOW TO MEDITATE? Close your eyes Sit straight Breathe deeply Repeat your mantra Practice every day
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
Prout Research Institute of Venezuela • Independent, not-for profit foundation started Sept. 2006. • Full-time staff.
What we do Raise consciousness Strengthen cooperatives Promote economic democracy
Why we do it Transform lives Empower communities Welfare of all
How we do it Publishing Education Research
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
MISSION To empower all people to improve their quality of life and live in a more just society by fostering the development of worker cooperatives, self-reliant communities, environmental protection, universal ethics and spiritual values.
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
Training courses
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
Dada: “Every morning I wake up in paradise!”
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
Yoga classes
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
Didi Ananda Sadhana
Centro Madre: Prout Community 37 Center in Barlovento
Prout Projects in Venezuela
Centro Madre: empowering self-reliance through education, sustainable agriculture, holistic development and ethical leadership. 38
“Excellent” small scale sustainable agriculture
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
Reading campaign
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
Neohumanist Education • • • • • • •
Neo-humanism: "The practice of love for all creation including plants, animals, and the inanimate world" Holistic development of the child Daily quiet meditation Ecological and social consciousness Academic, practical, social and personal Skills Joyful learning through stories and arts Teacher is ideal example
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
Didi Ananda Amegha
• Neohumanist kindergarten in Caracas 43
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Prout’s Message for Venezuela • Become self-reliant in food and medicine as soon as possible through sustainable agriculture, agro- and agrico-industries.
• Strengthen and encourage the cooperative system with more training, accounting and inspections to increase employment. • Petroleum sales are only a temporary source of income which should be used for education, job training and programs to alleviate poverty. • Strive to balance the economy. • Fight corruption relentlessly.
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Conclusión
What can you do? Learn more about Prout: read, take courses, attend seminar. Understand the link between the social and the personal: be the change you want to see. Share the vision with others: the more people who share the goal, the more power we have to achieve it. Volunteer: help create the world you want. Be ecologist: reduce, reuse, recycle, grow food Learn and practice meditation: find peace
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Updating and Expanding Adding new tools: • “Sarkar Game” • Block level planning exercise • Prout taxation • More examples
Can you help? 47
For more information: www.priven.org
[email protected] Tel. (58)212-886-2323, 238-8665 48
